Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I need some tips and tricks for placing brads. I bought the punch but you can't see where its punching because the punch comes up from the bottom (hand held).
I'm also wondering how you can get them lined up in such nice rows. Mine are always a little off.
my suggestion, maybe you need a new punch that allows you to see where you're placing it? do they make an anywhere punch in that size? i'm pretty sure that they do. also, as far as placement, maybe use a peircing template and a paper peircer to pre-determine where you're going to put your holes.
not sure if this would help but Tim Holtz has a great ruler with the grid lines and little holes that you could poke through to start a hole thus getting an even line of little holes before you put the brads in...hth
I punch the holes with a Japanese Screw Punch also known as Japanese Book Drill. It's a handy little tool which can punch holes in nearly any material, even chipboard (or your table or your fingers, if you don't take care!). The advantage is that I can exactly position the hole.
For the small holes I use the handheld Fiskars punch.. I take all the little "doors" off of my handheld punches because then I can see through the little hole.. I make a tiny mark with a marker and match it up and it works great ~ I also noticed on the punches that the dots that they had for where the hole would be punched, didn't line up right, so that was when I decided to take off all the "doors" on the things and haven't looked back since.
Pam
__________________ "The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."
I use an old dart as a piercing tool. The hole is more than big enough for the small brads and I just widen it for the larger brads.
To help line up your holes, the top of an SU order form (or any multi-level order form that has a tear off top) that is a series of evenly spaced holes, workes great.
__________________ Christine (my small gallery) see you on the flip side of the inkpad
I use a ruler and measure, making a little dot on the paper, then I use a hand held hole puncher, the real small one. Nothing drives me crazier than uneven brads and eyelets.
__________________ McFadden/MacHappy Ho /Kash So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.1 Cor 10:31
I have a quick and cheap way of doing my brads to get them to line up. I use a jumbo push pin and a piece of plastic canvas, about 3X4. I line up the edge of the canvas and then use the push pin to push through each corner. Lines up everytime. I also use a piece of a mouse pad underneath. Cheap and easy. Hope that makes sense.
I have a quick and cheap way of doing my brads to get them to line up. I use a jumbo push pin and a piece of plastic canvas, about 3X4. I line up the edge of the canvas and then use the push pin to push through each corner. Lines up everytime. I also use a piece of a mouse pad underneath. Cheap and easy. Hope that makes sense.
What a great idea! I love being able to use cheap tools for cool cards! I spend W-A-A-A-Y too much for my stamping addition!
__________________ Sylvia D.
Melodious Mingler Grandma My Gallery
To help line up your holes, the top of an SU order form (or any multi-level order form that has a tear off top) that is a series of evenly spaced holes, workes great.
This is what I do too. The demo that got me started in SU taught us that in a class years ago. I either punch through the holes or put a dot in the center of the holes I want to use, and then punch them.
__________________ I am me, I am just me. I'm a little like other cats but mostly I'm just me.
I bought the Japanese screw punch also and I just love it. I haven't used anything else since. The plastic canvas idea sounds like a great idea. I normally use a ruler! Thanks Texum for the tip.
not sure if this would help but Tim Holtz has a great ruler with the grid lines and little holes that you could poke through to start a hole thus getting an even line of little holes before you put the brads in...hth
I just use a straight pin (although a push pin sounds good too!) I can usually line them up by eyeing it, but sometimes, I will use a ruler and put a pencil mark where I want the brads.
For some of the larger brads you can also use your Crop-A-Dile (CAD.) You can adjust your depth that way and only have to concentrate on your distance from left to right. If I am putting brads in the corner of my card I start with the corner brad and then do those on each side.
It's funny, I have the same problem when placing eyelets. I just recently bought the mat pack from SU! for the purpose of paper piercing, but it's perfect for brad placing! Thanks for the idea everyone, i dont know why i hadn't thought of it before!
For some of the larger brads you can also use your Crop-A-Dile (CAD.) You can adjust your depth that way and only have to concentrate on your distance from left to right. If I am putting brads in the corner of my card I start with the corner brad and then do those on each side.
I just bought my Crop-A-Dile and LOVE it!!! I used it to place three eyelets in a row and it worked wonders! I used to have the same problem where one would always be higher than the others. Good luck!!
I use a ruler (usually on the CM side) and them mark the spot. Lay it on a mouse pad and poke a hole with a push pin. Also if you have a T square ruler that work's even better because you get a straight line from the edge. I think I got my at officemax.
Placing Brads
